CAQM Direction No. 86 Amendment 2026: Wider Enforcement for C&D Dust Violations in NCR

The Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) has made amendments to the procedure for enforcement in case of violations relating to dust pollution from construction and demolition (C&D) sites that have an area of less than 500 square metres. This has been done through an amendment dated 3rd August 2026 to Statutory Direction No. 86. CAQM made this announcement through a press release dated 4th August 2026.

The main change is not the creation of a completely new set of dust-control measures. Instead, CAQM has widened the number of local authorities that can take enforcement action against gross violations. Additional Municipal Corporations, Development Authorities, Municipal Councils, Municipal Boards and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across NCR are now brought into the enforcement arrangement described by CAQM.

The press release specifically names Manesar, Karnal, Panipat, Rohtak, Meerut, Alwar, Bharatpur, Bhiwadi and Neemrana among the additional locations covered by the expanded enforcement mechanism. Concerned agencies must also submit monthly information to CAQM on complaints and prosecutions filed.

For developers, contractors, project proponents and executing agencies working on smaller C&D sites in NCR, the practical message is clear: the fact that a project is below 500 sqm does not place it outside regulatory attention. Local-level monitoring and enforcement are being strengthened across a wider geographical area.

Notification at a Glance

The issuance of CAQM must be read carefully in the context of enforcement. It is not, in its own right, a certification, license, or registration system for small construction sites. Its primary goal is to increase enforcement coverage and enhance violations monitoring.

Regulatory Framework Behind Direction No. 86

Statutory Direction No. 86 was originally issued on 2 January 2025. It deals with non-compliance or contravention of provisions of the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021, rules made under it, and orders or directions issued by CAQM.

Direction No. 86 records CAQM's powers under the CAQM Act, 2021 to take measures and issue directions for protecting and improving air quality in NCR and adjoining areas. It also explains that CAQM directions are binding and connects non-compliance with the enforcement provisions under Section 14 of the Act.

The Direction specifically focuses on dust arising from construction and demolition activities. CAQM recorded that dust generated by such activities contributes to particulate pollution, including PM10 and PM2.5, and referred to repeated concerns over inadequate implementation of dust-control requirements at project sites.

Current C&D Waste Law Must Also Be Considered

There is an important current-law point for businesses reading Direction No. 86 in 2026.

When Direction No. 86 was issued in January 2025, it referred to the Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016. Since then, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the Environment (Construction and Demolition) Waste Management Rules, 2025.

Those 2025 Rules came into force on 1 April 2026 and superseded the 2016 Rules, subject to the saving of things already done or omitted before supersession. The new Rules apply broadly to construction, demolition, remodelling, renovation and repair activities, subject to their stated exclusions.

Therefore, as of August 2026, businesses should not treat the 2016 Rules referred to in the original 2025 Direction as the current standalone C&D waste-management regime. Direction No. 86 remains relevant as a CAQM enforcement instrument the August 2026 press release itself confirms that CAQM has amended it, but current C&D waste obligations should also be checked against the Environment (Construction and Demolition) Waste Management Rules, 2025.

Why Has CAQM Expanded the Enforcement Mechanism?

CAQM's stated reason is the large number of smaller construction projects operating across NCR.

According to the press release, construction projects on plots below 500 sqm are not limited to Delhi and the six major adjoining cities that were already covered under the earlier enforcement arrangement. Similar projects operate in several other larger towns and municipal areas across NCR.

CAQM also links these smaller C&D activities with the overall PM10 and PM2.5 pollution load attributed to the construction and demolition sector. It therefore considers broader local enforcement necessary for more effective implementation of dust-control measures.

There is also a practical administrative reason behind using local bodies. Smaller construction projects are widely dispersed. Municipal Corporations, Development Authorities, Municipal Councils and ULBs are closer to these sites and can play a more direct role in local monitoring and enforcement.

The amendment therefore moves enforcement closer to the locations where smaller construction projects are actually taking place.

Scope and Applicability

The August 2026 update is particularly relevant to C&D sites with plot areas below 500 sqm across NCR.

The principal stakeholders include:

• project proponents responsible for smaller construction or demolition sites
• executing agencies and contractors carrying out C&D activities
• Municipal Corporations and Urban Local Bodies responsible for local enforcement
• Development Authorities, Municipal Councils and Municipal Boards brought within the expanded mechanism
• Pollution-control agencies involved in monitoring C&D pollution across NCR.

The press release does not state that every requirement applicable to every type of construction project has been replaced by Direction No. 86. Its focus is narrower: enforcement against gross violations of dust and air-pollution-control directions and orders.

Why the 500 sqm Threshold Matters

The distinction between larger and smaller sites has an enforcement history under CAQM's directions.

• Direction No. 86 explains that C&D projects above 500 sqm had already been subject to remote monitoring arrangements involving State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), with related enforcement powers established under Direction No. 85.
• Direction No. 86 then addressed the large number of projects on plots below 500 sqm and authorised identified municipal and local authorities to act in cases of gross dust-control violations.

The August 2026 amendment builds on this smaller-site enforcement approach rather than creating it for the first time.

What Has Changed Under the August 2026 Amendment?

The amendment makes two developments especially important.

1. Enforcement Has Been Extended to More NCR Towns

Earlier, Direction No. 86 and its 24 June 2025 amendment covered the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council and identified ULBs in major adjoining cities such as:

• Gurugram
• Faridabad
• NOIDA
• Greater NOIDA
• Ghaziabad
• Sonipat

The August 2026 amendment expands the enforcement mechanism to additional Municipal Corporations, Development Authorities and ULBs across NCR.

CAQM's press release specifically names:

• Manesar
• Karnal
• Panipat
• Rohtak
• Meerut
• Alwar
• Bharatpur
• Bhiwadi
• Neemrana

The release uses the word “including” while naming these places. These should therefore be treated as locations expressly identified in the press release rather than automatically assumed to be an exhaustive list of every authority covered by the underlying amendment.

2. Monthly Enforcement Reporting Has Been Strengthened

Concerned agencies are required to send CAQM a monthly status report on complaints and prosecutions filed, together with the monthly progress reports already being submitted.

Direction No. 86 already contained a monthly reporting element regarding complaints. The August 2026 release places specific emphasis on reporting complaints and prosecutions across the expanded enforcement network.

The objective stated by CAQM is to improve accountability and allow closer monitoring of enforcement action throughout NCR.

Earlier Position vs August 2026 Position

The practical difference is therefore primarily who can enforce and where, rather than a completely new set of construction-site controls.

Geographical Coverage and Jurisdiction

The amendment is intended to widen enforcement across major NCR towns.

Businesses should check the competent local authority for the actual project location rather than assuming that one NCR authority has jurisdiction everywhere.

A developer working in Meerut, for example, will face a different local implementing authority from a project operating in Panipat or Bhiwadi, even though all fall within the wider CAQM framework described in the amendment.

Important Dates and Regulatory Timeline

The absence of a separate compliance deadline does not mean that dust-control obligations are postponed. It means the press release does not prescribe a new one-time deadline for businesses.

Existing Dust-Control Measures Relevant to C&D Sites

The August 2026 press release does not introduce a fresh list of technical dust-control requirements. Direction No. 86, however, refers to existing measures used for control and mitigation of construction dust.

Among the measures recorded in the original Direction are:

• installation of wind barriers or wind breakers around project boundaries
• provision of dust screens, particularly around areas under construction
• regular use of water sprinklers, water mist and dust suppressants
• proper covering of construction materials and debris
• transportation of construction materials and C&D waste through covered vehicles.

These are existing measures referred to in Direction No. 86 and should not be presented as requirements first introduced by the August 2026 amendment.

For businesses, the amendment changes the enforcement environment surrounding these requirements. A smaller project site that previously received less attention because of its location may now fall within a local authority's strengthened enforcement jurisdiction.

Expanded Enforcement Powers and Regulatory Authorities

Direction No. 86 allows authorised municipal and local officials to take action where there are gross violations of dust and air-pollution-control directions or orders.

The enforcement mechanism described by CAQM includes the ability of authorised officers or authorities to:

• file a complaint or initiate prosecution before the jurisdictional Judicial Magistrate
• order closure of a C&D site in cases covered by the Direction
• impose or realise Environmental Compensation in cases of gross violation
• act in relation to gross violations involving applicable GRAP requirements for C&D activities.

The August 2026 amendment does not merely add more inspectors. Its practical effect is to expand the number of local institutions that can participate directly in serious enforcement action.

Environmental Compensation Is Mentioned, but No Amount Is Given

CAQM's press release confirms Environmental Compensation as part of the existing enforcement mechanism. It does not, however, specify an EC amount or calculation for a particular violation.

Accordingly, businesses should not use the August press release itself as a fee or penalty schedule. Any applicable Environmental Compensation must be determined from the governing direction, order or other legally applicable framework relevant to the particular violation.

What Can Trigger Enforcement Action?

Direction No. 86 focuses on gross violations of directions or orders concerning dust and air-pollution-control and mitigation measures.

The August 2026 press release does not provide a standalone definition of “gross violation.”

That distinction matters. It would be inaccurate to create a fixed list and claim that every minor lapse automatically constitutes a gross violation under this amendment.

The source supports a more careful position: where a serious violation of applicable dust-control directions or orders is found, an authorised authority may use the enforcement mechanism provided under Direction No. 86.

Project proponents should therefore evaluate actual site practices against the applicable CAQM, pollution-control, GRAP and local requirements rather than relying on assumptions about what level of non-compliance will or will not attract action.

Link with GRAP Requirements

Direction No. 86 also connects its enforcement mechanism with violations of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Schedule relating to C&D activities.

GRAP is an emergency response system under which different preventive and restrictive measures may apply depending on the severity of air pollution conditions in Delhi-NCR.

This means construction businesses must consider two separate questions:

• What normal dust-control and environmental requirements apply to the site?
• Are any additional GRAP restrictions currently applicable?

Compliance with routine dust-control measures does not automatically answer the second question.

Likewise, the August 2026 amendment should not be read as replacing GRAP. It strengthens enforcement of the wider set of applicable CAQM directions and orders, including relevant GRAP measures.

Reporting and Accountability Requirements

One of the clearest administrative changes highlighted in the release is closer reporting of enforcement activity.

Concerned agencies must send CAQM monthly information covering:

• complaints filed
• prosecutions filed
• related enforcement status
• the monthly progress information already being submitted under the existing arrangement.

This reporting duty is directed at the concerned enforcement agencies rather than being described in the press release as a new monthly filing by every construction business.

That distinction is important.

A project proponent should not interpret the press release as creating a universal monthly CAQM return for every C&D site below 500 sqm unless another applicable provision expressly requires such a filing.

The reporting mechanism is designed primarily to allow CAQM to monitor whether authorised local bodies are actually taking enforcement action.

Responsibilities of Businesses vs Enforcement Authorities

This separation helps avoid a common misunderstanding: the monthly enforcement report mentioned in the press release is an obligation of the concerned agencies, while the C&D site's responsibility is to comply with applicable pollution-control requirements.

Inspection and Enforcement Data: April-June 2026

CAQM has also published inspection data to show the scale of C&D monitoring taking place across NCR.

These are the figures reported by CAQM for the April-June 2026 quarter.

The figures should not be used to claim a violation rate because the press release does not state how many of these inspections resulted in non-compliance, closure, Environmental Compensation or prosecution.

What the numbers do show is that C&D monitoring is an active enforcement area. CAQM's decision to expand local authority powers for smaller sites fits into that wider monitoring effort.

What Has Not Changed?

The August 2026 announcement should not be misunderstood as a complete replacement of the existing C&D compliance framework.

Based on the press release:

• The focus continues to be control and mitigation of dust and air pollution from C&D activities.
• Direction No. 86 remains the relevant enforcement instrument being amended.
• Existing enforcement tools such as prosecution, closure and Environmental Compensation continue to form part of the mechanism described by CAQM.
• GRAP-related C&D violations remain relevant.
• The amendment does not announce a new registration certificate.
• It does not introduce a new licence for sites below 500 sqm.
• It does not prescribe a fresh application fee.
• It does not provide a new EC amount.
• It does not state a separate one-time compliance deadline.
• It does not publish a new technical dust-control standard in the press release.

The biggest shift is therefore wider and more localised enforcement.

Impact on Construction Businesses and Project Developers

• Smaller C&D Sites Face Greater Local Scrutiny

Projects below 500 sqm may previously have been perceived as receiving less regulatory attention than larger projects subject to remote monitoring arrangements.

The amendment weakens that assumption.

By authorising more local bodies to initiate action, CAQM is making enforcement more accessible at the municipal and town level.

• Contractors Need Better On-Site Control

A project developer may have overall responsibility for the project, while contractors and site teams handle day-to-day dust management.

Poor coordination between the two can create compliance gaps.

Businesses should therefore make dust-control responsibilities clear in contractor instructions, operating procedures and site supervision arrangements.

• Geographic Expansion Matters for Multi-City Developers

Companies operating projects across several NCR cities should not use one city-specific enforcement model for every location.

The competent authority may differ from:

• Delhi to Gurugram
• Gurugram to Panipat
• Meerut to NOIDA
• Alwar to Bhiwadi.

A multi-location compliance register can help identify which authority supervises each project.

• Enforcement Can Affect Project Continuity

Because Direction No. 86 refers to closure action in cases of gross violation, weak dust-control practices can create more than a documentation issue.

Where enforcement action is legally justified, the impact may extend to project operations, construction scheduling, contractor management and compliance costs.

These are practical business risks rather than separate penalties created by the August 2026 press release.

Challenges and Cost Implications

The amendment does not prescribe a new compliance fee, but stronger enforcement can still affect operating costs.

Short-Term Compliance Effort

Businesses operating smaller sites may need to spend more time on:

• reviewing existing dust-control arrangements
• checking site boundaries and dust screens
• improving material and debris covering
• reviewing water-sprinkling practices
• checking vehicles transporting construction material or waste
• allocating clearer responsibility to contractors
• creating stronger evidence of routine compliance.

These are practical compliance measures. Their exact cost will depend on the project and cannot be determined from the press release.

Ongoing Compliance Burden

The larger change is likely to be operational discipline.

Smaller construction projects may need the same level of day-to-day attention to dust control that businesses normally associate with larger, more closely monitored sites.

For companies with several projects across NCR, maintaining consistent controls across locations can require more supervision, internal checks and contractor accountability.

Risks to Avoid

Businesses working on C&D projects in NCR should avoid treating the amendment too narrowly.

A few areas deserve particular attention:

• Assuming a site below 500 sqm is outside strong enforcement: the amendment specifically strengthens enforcement for this category.
• Looking only at Delhi: enforcement has been expanded to additional NCR towns.
• Ignoring the competent local authority: jurisdiction matters because different local bodies may exercise the powers.
• Treating the August press release as a new technical standard: the main development is enforcement expansion.
• Assuming every violation has the same consequence: the source specifically refers to gross violations for the stronger enforcement actions discussed.
• Using the press release as an EC rate schedule: no exact EC amount is stated.
• Confusing agency reporting with a new monthly business return: the monthly reporting requirement described in the release is imposed on concerned agencies.
• Ignoring current C&D waste law: The Environment (Construction and Demolition) Waste Management Rules, 2025 have been in force since 1 April 2026 and form part of the wider present-day compliance landscape.

Business and Regulatory Perspective

From CAQM's perspective, expanding local enforcement addresses a practical gap. Small construction sites are numerous and spread across a wide area. A regulatory system that concentrates enforcement only in a few major cities can leave similar activities in other NCR towns subject to uneven supervision.

Giving more municipal and development authorities the ability to act allows enforcement to take place closer to the source of the activity. Monthly reporting also allows CAQM to see whether these powers are being used.

For businesses, however, the amendment means compliance can no longer be viewed mainly through the lens of project size. A smaller plot does not necessarily mean lower enforcement exposure.

The more useful business response is not simply to wait for an inspection. Developers and contractors should know the applicable dust-control requirements before work begins, identify the local authority with jurisdiction, maintain site controls during construction and monitor GRAP restrictions when relevant.

What Businesses Should Do Next

Businesses operating C&D sites in NCR can use the following priorities to prepare for the strengthened enforcement environment:

• Confirm the plot area and project location. Establish whether the site falls within the smaller-site category highlighted by Direction No. 86 and identify the relevant NCR jurisdiction.
• Identify the competent local authority. Determine which Municipal Corporation, Development Authority, Council, Board or ULB exercises jurisdiction over the project.
• Review actual dust-control practices on site. Check wind barriers, dust screens, water sprinkling or misting, covering of material and debris, and transportation practices against applicable requirements.
• Review current CAQM and GRAP requirements. Site teams should not rely only on an old compliance checklist because additional restrictions can apply when GRAP measures are activated.
• Check the current C&D waste-management framework. As of August 2026, the Environment (Construction and Demolition) Waste Management Rules, 2025 are in force and should be considered separately from the enforcement amendment to Direction No. 86.
• Maintain clear internal compliance evidence. As a recommended internal control, businesses can maintain dated photographs, inspection records, water-sprinkling logs, contractor instructions, material-covering records and corrective-action notes where relevant. These should not be confused with documents expressly mandated by the press release.
• Prepare a process for handling inspections or notices. Site staff should know who will coordinate with the relevant authority, provide records and arrange corrective action if an issue is identified.
• Review contractor responsibility. Environmental requirements should be communicated clearly to civil contractors, demolition contractors, transporters and site supervisors rather than remaining only with the central compliance team.
• Track CAQM and local authority updates. Since the enforcement structure has already been amended more than once, businesses should keep their site-level compliance matrix current.

How Corpseed Can Help?

The wider enforcement of Direction No. 86 means that construction businesses operating across NCR may need to review both their legal applicability and their actual site-level controls.

Corpseed can support affected businesses through relevant environmental compliance services, depending on the project, location and applicable regulatory framework.

Support can include:

• Applicability assessment: Reviewing the project location, plot size, activity and relevant environmental requirements.
• Regulatory interpretation: Helping businesses understand how CAQM directions, GRAP requirements and the current C&D waste-management framework interact.
• Compliance gap assessment: Comparing existing site practices with applicable dust-control and environmental requirements.
• Jurisdiction mapping: Identifying the relevant municipal, development or pollution-control authority for projects operating across different NCR locations.
• Technical-document review: Reviewing available environmental records, contractor controls and compliance documentation.
• Inspection readiness: Helping site teams organise evidence and internal responsibilities before regulatory inspections.
• Notice and compliance-response support: Assisting with the regulatory and documentation aspects of responding to an authority communication, where applicable.
• Ongoing compliance support: Helping multi-location businesses maintain a structured approach to changing environmental requirements.

The objective of professional support should be to understand what actually applies to a particular project and address identifiable compliance gaps. It should not be treated as a guarantee against inspection, enforcement, Environmental Compensation, closure or prosecution.

Businesses operating C&D sites across NCR can consider a project-specific environmental compliance review to understand their obligations under the CAQM framework and related environmental rules.

Key Takeaways

CAQM's August 2026 amendment to Direction No. 86 expands enforcement against serious dust-control violations at smaller C&D sites to more municipal and development authorities across NCR. The change is especially relevant to projects on plots below 500 sqm.

The main points for businesses are:

• More local authorities across NCR can participate in enforcement against gross dust-control violations.
• CAQM specifically names Manesar, Karnal, Panipat, Rohtak, Meerut, Alwar, Bharatpur, Bhiwadi and Neemrana among the additional locations.
• The enforcement mechanism can include prosecution, site closure and Environmental Compensation in cases covered by Direction No. 86.
• Concerned agencies must report complaints and prosecutions to CAQM monthly.
• The press release does not prescribe a new business registration, certification, EC rate or one-time compliance deadline.
• Smaller C&D sites should review on-ground dust controls, jurisdiction and applicable GRAP requirements rather than assuming that their size places them outside regulatory scrutiny.
• The current Environment (Construction and Demolition) Waste Management Rules, 2025 should also be considered because they have been in force since 1 April 2026.